Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1887-10-12
Republican Convention.

WE'RE THE MEMBERS SINCERE? THE POLL
C1Es OF THE REPUBLICAN AND DEMO
CRATIC PARTIES CoNTRAsTED-THE DEM
ccRATIc POLICY MORE FAVORABLE TO
THE INTERESTS OF THE LABoR1NG CLAs-
sEs-THE MENTION OF MALONE sTUDIoUs-
1Y AyoIpED-wILL THEIR NOMINEES
VOTE FOR MAHoNE?
The proceedings of the Republican Mass
meeting Convention which was held in the
Courthouse last Saturday, and which nomi-
mated Messrs W. Bailey Dunlap and Benz.
J. Craig as candidates for the House OF
Delegates, will be found published in our
local columns. The meeting was quite a
lively one, and showed that the horses in
the Republican team pull about as well
when their shoulders are cold as when they
are warm, and in this respect set an exam
pie which is worthy to be followed by the
melted steeds of the Democracy. The Re
publcans possess, or skillfully feign, hope,
zeal, and enthusiasm. 1t is difficult to de-
termine whether they are sincere, or wheth-
er they act upon the principle Of feigning
virtue when they have it not. The latter
seems, from the character of the speeches
made, to be more probably the correct
view, for they loudly profess to be the
special friends of the laboring classes, yet
they do not adopt any platform showing in
what way they propose to benefit those
classes but, on tile contrary, they adopt a
resolution endorsing the National Repubii-
can party, whose policy for the % years
successfully, during which it administered
the Government, was to foster monopolies
at the expense and oppression of the labor
lug classes, whereas the policy Of the Dem.
ocratic administration since it came into
power has been to oppose monopolies and
to protect the interests Of the laboring c'aFs
q IS and all others who have been over
taxed and oppressed by the policy of the
Republican administrations.
During the administrations of the Repub-
ican party, the enormous amount OF one
hundred and hIty-nine millions, fou'
hundred and thirteen thousand. and ts3enfy-
sic acres of land were voted away to nine
railroad corporations--about twenty thou
sand acres to each mile of road. Is this
the way to protect the interests of the labor
ing classes giving away more than hum
dred millions of acres of the public lands
TO railroad companies, and thus depriving
poor men of the opportunity to get homes
by entering sections of the public lands
This is the policy Of the Republican ads
ministrations, and yet this Republican
meeting, processing to be the special friends
of the poor men and laborers, adopt, unani-
mously, as their platform, a resolution en-
dorsing the National Republican party:
The Democratic administration, Oh the
contrary, has already reclaimed and re-
stored to the government and people some
millions of acres of these lands which the
Republicans had given to these rich rail
road monopoies, and if the Democrats re-
main in power for another term as they
will, if the people be wise enough to guard
their own interests,-many more millions
of acres will be reclaimed, and hundreds of
thousands of homes be provided for labor
ing men.
En- PEASANT, we will mention that the
speakers in this meeting claimed that it
was fatal objection to Ed. Echols that he
was the son of railroad president. Now,
does not this objection come with a marvel
ously good grace from those who are the
followers. admirers, and supporters of VIM.
Malone, who was himself the president of
railroad company with the princely salary
of $25, GOO year, and got rich, whilst the
State, through his agency and policy, lost
several million doliarsP How can it be that
these men can be sincere in the objection
they make to Ed. Echols, and at the same
time support VIM. Malone, and make
canvass, the chief object of which is to elect
Malone to the United States Senate? If
sincere, why did they not exact pledge
from their nominees that they would not,
under any possible circumstances, vote for
Malone, who had been so identified with
the interests of railroad companies; and
who, moreover, whilst president of the
railroad company, tyannized over, Cypress
cd, aud maltreated the poor laborers in the
employ of his company? On the contrary,
they nominate Dunlap and Craig, and will
labor to secure their election. that they
may vote for Malone for United States
Senator. Would W. E. Craig and s.
Brown Allen support them If they would
mote
The policy of the Republican party in
reference TO the public lands is not the only
one of that party which favors monopolies
and corporations at the expense of the
rights and interests of The great mass of
the people of all classes. 1t imposed, and
still maintains, the present high tariff
which taxes the people on the average 40
per cent. on the greater part of the articles
they wear and consume In one way or
another on their farms and in their homes.
This Is not only "a burdensome, but a
wholly unnecessary tax, for it brings in a
surplus of about ole hundred millions q
year to the Federal Treasury, and conse
quently withdraws that large amount from
circulation, ard makes money scarcer and
the times harder than they would other
wise be- This. policy is not in favor of the
laboritg or any other class of people, ex-
cept the manufacturing capitalists and
corporations.
The policy of the Democratic party, on
the contrary, is to have this useless and
burdensome tax on the great mass of the
people reduced 10 that degree that the
revenues may be only sufficient to defray
the expenses of the government honestly
and economically administered, as it will be
If fhe Democratic party shall be continued